


7:2:7

by Bes-bev (kerys)



Series: Kusak Squad [1]
Category: Star Wars: Rise of Empire Era - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-09
Updated: 2013-11-09
Packaged: 2017-12-31 23:00:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1037404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kerys/pseuds/Bes-bev
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Story and chapter titles in the Kusak Squad series are Great ReSynchronization calendar dates, following the year:month:day format.</p>
    </blockquote>





	7:2:7

**Author's Note:**

> Story and chapter titles in the Kusak Squad series are Great ReSynchronization calendar dates, following the year:month:day format.

 

KUSAK SQUAD

7:2:7

Wild Space, Kamino System, Kamino, beneath Tipoca City

Bioluminescent lichen painted the stone in soothing shades of blue and purple while the thunder above and waves below provided a constant, roiling soundtrack that boomed through the tunnels. Four indentical little human boys strode through the dim, irregular passages, clambering over the scattered boulders and dancing around the stalagmites.

As always, Resol rushed ahead, singing at the top of his lungs and grinning to hear his voice echoing through the caverns, turning him into a poorly timed chorus of his own. “ _Sa kyr'am nau tracyn kad_! _Vode an_!” He turned back to his podmates, jogging backwards as he tried to hurry them on. “C’mon, _ner vode_! We don’t have time to straggle! We’ve got to be back on the firing range at 1300 or we’ll be missed!” Facing back the way he was going, he continued singing as E’tad sidled up behind him. “ _Kandosii sa ka'rta_! _Vod_ -oof!” The song broke off as he tumbled forward, tripped by his brother and bloodying his nose on the rough stone. He was up in an instant, swinging a fist at E’tad’s scowling face, ignoring the silencing finger his brother held before his lips.

Rayshe’a leapt forward and caught the punch before it could land, indignance contorting his features as he spun on Resol and E’tad with all the fury of the storms that raged outside. His voice was quiet but livid as he glowered at the two of them. “Never. Ever. Attack your brother. Who’s gonna cover your six if you can’t trust your own squad? and Resol? We won’t have to worry about them missing us on the range if they catch us in the caverns. So pipe down. E’tad? Two hundred push-ups at dinner for assault, and don’t take your time if you wanna eat.”

Resol and E’tad continued on, more sedate as they ventured further into the tunnel, glowering sullenly at Rayshe’a’s back as he took the lead. Sh’ehn came alongside, a faint smile curving his lips as he shook his head at them and overtook Raysh.

“Ease up, brothers mine. Points of fact: with two thousand _vode_ at the range this afternoon, we’d have to totally noshow it or make some flashy entrance to be found out. And with the storm out there right now, I could probably throw some ordnance through this rock without anyone being wiser. Let’s enjoy our AWOL while it lasts, and not go borrowing trouble that we haven’t managed to get into yet.”

Raysh nodded at Sh’ehn’s eloquent common sense and the four continued their aimless trek, completely oblivious to the incongruity of human boys apparently eight years old comporting themselves in such a manner.

It was a good fifteen minutes later when E’tad crawled through a low crevice and stopped short, head and shoulders sticking out into a small chamber that was amazingly occupied. He started to back out, silent as a ghost when his foot hit Resol’s head behind him.

“OW! Tad, what’re you doin’?!”

The little Kaminoan froze for a moment before her snake-like neck swooped around toward the sound. Her mismatched eyes blinked at the creature before her and she titled her head in wonder. “What are you?” she asked, her tiny voice piping with an enthusiasm E’tad had never thought to associate with the Cloners.

When Res shoved him in the rump, he squirmed forward and tumbled into the room, dark eyes roving to note the comfortable appointments littering the stone floor.

“Um… I’m a boy. A human, you know? One of the clones: Ar-Cee-Aught-One-Two-Seven.” He stared at the little bed with amazement. “Do you _live_ down here?”

“Mhm.” She closed her eyes, listening to the thunder’s muted crash and rocking to its stuttering cadence.

Resol came through next, oblivious until he found his feet and looked around. “What the - ?! Why didn’t you say something, Commando?!”

E’tad threw him a venomous glance, his reply dripping with sarcasm. “I dunno, _Commando_. Maybe I shoulda tried to make a quiet exit before I was noticed. And there’s no point. I already introduced myself, proper.”

Resol stared at his brother a long moment before turning away with a shrug. “Ar-Cee-Aught-One-Two-Six, reporting for duty, miss.”

She giggled at his sudden assumption of formality, then clapped delightedly as the next head of dark curls popped into the room.

Resol glanced down at Sh’ehn and continued speaking, “And may I introduce Ar-Cee-Aught-One-Two-Eight. Behind him, you’ll meet our fearless leader, Ar-Cee-Aught-One-Two-Five. Gentlemen, it’s my pleasure to present…” He turned to the little girl, one brow arched in querry.

Giggling again, she offered up her name, “Lena Ke, but I do not like it.”

“Gentlemen, it’s my pleasure to present Queen Buurenar, Goddess of Stormy Caverns.” Lena Ke gasped at the proclamation.

“The cavern isn’t stormy, moron,” Raysh pointed out as he clambered through the fissure. “Outside the cavern is stormy.”

“All the same,” Resol replied as he strolled around the cave, peering at the fingerpaintings the little Kaminoan had scattered about the walls.

“These are _kandosii_ … Did you paint them?”

“You talk funny, but I did paint them.”

“You know… _Kandosii_. Astral.” He shook his head, grinning and shrugging again. “I just mean that I like them. We’ll have to teach you Mando’a.”

Frowning at Resol, Rayshe’a looked around. “Buurenar? Why are you down here?”

Giggling again at her new name, the Kaminoan shrugged in reply. “Mother said I had to hide because of my eyes. She said it was not safe above. Blue eyes do certain jobs and grey eyes do certain jobs and people would not know what to do with me.”

Rayshe’a nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah. The Cloners don’t much like things that aren’t just so. But you’re down here all alone? No _vode_?”

She knit her brows and canted her head to one side. “Voh day?”

Rayshe’a chuckled at himself and shook his head. “I guess Two-Six is right about the Mando’a,” he noted, nodding Resol’s way before continuing to Buurenar, “ _Vode_ means brothe - uh... siblings.”  
  
“Oh. I have no siblings. Mother will not bear anymore because she does not want them to be unsafe too.”

The clones were silent for several long minutes, looking back and forth amongst their ranks with expressions of horror and pity. When Buurenaar began to be distressed by their reaction, E’tad stepped forward and threw an arm around her narrow shoulders.

“I’ll be your _vod_. But that means you’ll have to call me Tad now. We don’t use our official designations among family.”

Spurred by their brother’s generosity, the other boys stepped forward, each offering their nicknames.

“I’m Raysh.”

“Res”

“Sh’ehn”

“Is Buurenar my official designation? What shall I be called now?”

E’tad grinned broadly. “Buure sounds like a good unofficial designation. We’ll go with that, if you like?”

She nodded, wide-eyed with wonder at the idea of a whole new family to go with her new name.

* * *

**GLOSSARY**

** Mando’a **

**Buurenar** : storm (Lena Ke)

**Kandosii** : cool, awesome. Lit. ruthless, indomitable

**Raysh’** : short for **Rayshe’a** : 5 (RC-0125, later Cabur)

**Res’** : short for **Resol** : 6 (RC-0126, later Laar)

**Sh’ehn** : 8 (RC-0128, later Rang)

**‘Tad** : short for **E’tad** : 7 (RC-0127, later Aliik)

**Vod** : sibling

**Vode** : siblings 

** Other **

**Kusak** : a canine species from Lok, noted for its fierce devotion to its master

**Vode An**

Kote!  
Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vode an.  
Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode an.  
Bal kote, darasuum kote,  
Jorso'ran kando a tome.  
 **Sa kyr'am nau tracyn kad, Vode an.**  
  
 **Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vod** e an.  
Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode an.  
Bal...  
Motir ca'tra nau tracinya.  
Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a.  
Aruetyc runi solus cet o'r.  
Motir ca'tra nau tracinya.  
Gra'tua cuun hett su dralshy'a.  
Aruetyc runi trattok'o.  
Sa kyr'am nau tracyn kad, Vode an!

**Brothers All**  

Glory!  
One indomitable heart, Brothers all.  
We, the wrath of Coruscant, Brothers all.  
And glory, eternal glory,  
We shall bear its weight together.  
 **Forged like the saber in the fires of death, Brothers all.**

**One indomitable heart, Brother** s all.  
We, the wrath of Coruscant, Brothers all.  
And...  
Those who stand before us light the night sky in flame.  
Our vengeance burns brighter still.  
Every last traitorous soul shall kneel.  
Those who stand before us light the night sky in flame.  
Our vengeance burns brighter still.  
Every last traitorous soul shall fall.  
Forged like the saber in the fires of death, Brothers all!


End file.
